Manicure soaking bowl and method

ABSTRACT

A manicure soaking bowl and method uses in one embodiment a soaking bowl with a disposable inside liner which can be discarded with the contents after each use. The liner has a lip which fits on the rim of the bowl facilitating removal and replacement. The liner is shaped or molded from a thin plastic sheet. The bowl may have a special recess for the fingers. The invention minimizes the transmission of disease or infection. In other embodiments the bowl or liner is made of an impervious non-porous material such as stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum or alloys thereof, or glass for cleaning and reuse. Liners made of these materials are not disposable.

This application is a continuation-in-part of applicant's application Ser. No. 12/552,575 filed Sep. 2, 2009, which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/191,577 filed Sep. 9, 2008, and also claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/338,862 filed Feb. 25, 2010. The entire disclosures of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a manicure soaking bowl.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Before a manicure can be performed on a client, the fingers are soaked for certain period in a soapy solution. This prepares the fingers for the manicure by both cleaning and softening the area around the nails. Afterwards it is customary to discard the contents of the bowl, clean it and reuse it. It is not possible to clean the bowl to the extent desired, since harmful bacteria may remain even if the bowl seems clean. It would be advantageous to prevent spread of disease or infection to use a new clean bowl or sterilized bowl each time, for each client. But it wouldn't be cost effective.

Also, a relatively recent product for nails is called a soak-off gel. Removal of the gel requires soaking the nails in acetone for about ten to fifteen minutes. If the soaking takes place in a plastic bowl or liner the plastic is normally ruined and can't be reused.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The fingers of the client obtaining the manicure are placed in a bowl, containing a soapy solution for cleaning and softening prior to the manicure. The soaking bowl in one embodiment is provided with an inside disposable liner closely fitting the inside of the bowl and which is removed and discarded with the contents after each use.

The liner is a thin plastic molded sheet which may be transparent. The liner has a top outwardly directed lip which seats on the rim of the underlying bowl. The lip of the liner aids in seating or placing the liner in the bowl as well as removing it and its contents from the bowl. It also keeps liquid from getting between the liner and bowl.

The bowl and liner may be a regular circular shape or have a special recess to accommodate the fingers of the hand.

In this manner the clients hand is prepared for the manicure with in effect a new bowl each time making the transmission of disease or infection much less likely.

In other embodiments the bowl or the liner may be made of an impervious material to enable the bowls or liner to be cleaned and/or sanitized after each use. Plastic bowl commonly used in manicures have a degree of porosity which makes them next to impossible to remove all harmful or deleterious bacteria or microbes after each use.

To avoid these problems the bowl or liner may be made of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum, alloys, or glass.

Also, in the case of soak-off gels, galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum, alloys, or a glass bowl or liner is used for removal and cleaning. Liners made of these materials are not disposable but, like bowls made of the same material, may be washed or cleaned for reuse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the bowl and liner wherein both are of a regular circular shape;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the rim of bowl and liner assembled with the outwardly directed lip of the liner seated on the rim of the bowl;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a bowl and liner wherein both have a special recess to accommodate the fingers of the user;

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 2 showing a bowl made of an impervious metal material such as aluminum or stainless or galvanized steel or alloys thereof;

FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 2 showing a plastic bowl but with a reusable liner made of such impervious metal material;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 4 with the bowl made of glass; and

FIG. 7 is a view like FIG. 5 with the liner made of glass.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a circular soaking bowl 10 and its removable and disposable liner 12.

The soaking bowl includes a top rim 14, a conical side wall 16, a bottom wall 18, and a rounded transition wall 20 there between. The bowl includes a bottom circular support 22 and a handle 24, which includes a downwardly extending angled portion 26 terminating at the same elevation as the bottom support 22 so that the bowl may be firmly supported on a surface such as a table or desk top. The bowl 10 may be ceramic or molded plastic.

The circular liner 12 includes a conical side wall 30, a bottom wall 32 and an intermediate curved transition wall 34. In addition, the liner at its top edge includes an outwardly extending lip 36 adapted to fit or seat on the top rim 14 of the underlying bowl 10. The liner is formed of thin sheet molded plastic and has generally the same shape as the inside of underlying bowl 10.

However it is preferred that the nesting of the liner in the bowl not be a perfect fit but rather loose so as to make the liner and contents easier to remove from the bowl. The lip 36 of the liner on top of the rim 14 of the bowl facilitates not only the placement of a new liner but also the removal of it and its contents from the bowl 10.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated another form of bowl 40 and its liner 42. The bowl 40 is made of molded plastic and has a generally semi-circular recess 44 which extends about a domed fluted central portion 46 which extends into a tapered top wall 48. The bowl includes a top rim 50 which merges into the top wall 48 and a side wall 52 extending completely around the bowl. A top horizontal tab on one end seen at 54 includes a hole 56 so that the bowl may be hung on a wall.

The removable liner 42 includes the semi-circular recess 60 extending about the fluted dome 62 and the tapered top wall 64. The liner includes a side wall 66 forming the outside of the recess and a top outwardly directed lip 68. In this manner the liner fits closely on the top of the bowl with the projecting lip of the liner fitting on the top rim 56 and outer edges of the tapered surface top wall 48 of the bowl.

When the liner is in place in the bowl the recess 60 is filled with the soapy solution and the user places the hand (palm) over the tapered surface and dome so that the fingers are all within the recess 60. When the soaking is completed the liner and its contents are removed and discarded. A new liner is employed for the next client.

It can now be seen that with the disposable liner more sanitary conditions can be achieved.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated the projecting lip or rim 70 of the bowl 72, and it is noted that the bowl is made of a material which is impervious rather than somewhat porous. The impervious material is preferably metal, and examples would be stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum, or alloys thereof.

In FIG. 5, there is illustrated the edge or rim 74 of a conventional plastic bowl 76 containing the reusable metal liner 78. The reusable liner 78 is somewhat thicker than the disposable liner of the prior FIG. 2 embodiment, but is made of metal such as the stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum or alloys thereof. The reusable liner, like the disposable liner may have a top lip 80 seating on the top rim of the bowl to facilitate placement, support and sealing.

FIG. 6 is like FIG. 4 but simply shows the bowl 82 made of glass. In this manner the bowl is suitable for cleaning and reuse whether presoaking the nails and fingers or removing the soak-off gel with acetone.

FIG. 7 shows a glass liner 84 in the plastic bowl 76, the liner also having the top lip 86 seated on the rim of the plastic bowl.

The glass bowl or liner may be used for pre-soak or soak-off gel removal with acetone. 

1. A method of preparing a hand for a manicure, comprising the steps of providing a disposable liner in a soaking bowl, filling the liner with a soapy solution, placing the fingers of the hand in the soaking bowl to soak for a period of time to clean and soften the fingers, removing the fingers from the bowl, and removing the liner and solution from the bowl for disposal.
 2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the disposable liner is provided with an outwardly directed upper lip adapted to be seated on the rim of the underlying soaking bowl.
 3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the disposable liner is a thin gauge molded plastic sheet.
 4. A soaking bowl for a manicure comprising a bowl adapted to accommodate the fingers of a person receiving the manicure, a disposable liner fitting in the bowl and containing the soaking solution, said disposable liner being removable from the bowl to dispose of the liner and solution after each use.
 5. A soaking bowl as set forth in claim 4 wherein the bowl and liner include recesses accommodating the fingers of the user.
 6. A soaking bowl as set forth in claim 5 wherein the liner is a thin gauge molded plastic sheet.
 7. A soaking bowl as set forth in claim 6, wherein the liner has a horizontal outwardly directed lip fitting on the rim of the soaking bowl.
 8. A method of preparing a hand for a manicure, comprising the steps of providing a soaking bowl made of impervious material, filling the bowl, placing the fingers of the hand in the soaking bowl to soak for a period of time to clean or soften the fingers, and cleaning the bowl for reuse.
 9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the impervious bowl is a liner.
 10. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the liner is provided with an outwardly directed upper lip adapted to be seated on the rim of the underlying soaking bowl.
 11. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the bowl is made of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum or alloys thereof or glass.
 12. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the liner is made of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum or alloys thereof, or glass.
 13. A soaking bowl for a manicure comprising a bowl adapted to accommodate the fingers of a person receiving the manicure, said bowl being made of an impervious material for cleaning and reuse.
 14. A soaking bowl as set forth in claim 13 wherein the bowl is made of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum or alloys thereof, or glass.
 15. A soaking bowl as set forth in claim 14 the bowl is in the form of a liner. 